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posted by cmn32480 on Monday July 17 2017, @06:38PM   Printer-friendly
from the it's-a-shitty-business dept.

Submitted via IRC for Bytram

Two queueing theorists of Ghent University investigated why queues at restrooms are invariably longer for ladies than for men. Time and time again. What are the main causes for this disparity? And how can it be overcome? Moving to unisex toilets, it appears from this study, may reduce waiting times for women from over 6 minutes to less than a minute and a half. Already a symbol for transgender equality, unisex toilets can hence boast excellent figures when it comes to reducing waiting times. Or, how transgender-friendliness may help in battling female-unfriendly toilet culture.

It turns out there are three main causes for the difference in waiting time between men and women. A first factor explaining why women wait longer is that the net number of toilets for women is smaller than that for men. This is because the total surface area is often divided equally while a toilet cabin inevitably takes up more space than a urinal. Overall, an average toilet area can accommodate 20 to 30 percent more toilets for men (urinals + cabins) than for women.

A second reason is that according to scientific studies women spend one and a half up to two times as long on the toilet. The reasons are mostly practical. In contrast to a urinal, a door must be opened and closed twice, a toilet seat needs cleaning, and more and more difficult clothes have to be taken off and on. This results in an average time spent at the toilet of 1 minute for men and 1 minute and 30 seconds for women.

A third factor is the overall activity at the restroom. As long as it's not too busy, the overall effect of ladies having a smaller number of toilets and spending more time on those toilets does not lead to long queues. However when for example everybody heads home, more women arrive at the toilets than the system can handle. This condition amplifies the above effects and results in outrageous waiting times for women.

Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-07-lengths-restroom.html


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  • (Score: 2) by Snotnose on Tuesday July 18 2017, @12:16AM (5 children)

    by Snotnose (1623) on Tuesday July 18 2017, @12:16AM (#540655)

    The wife didn't understand how I could go so long without peeing. Half of it was I have a good 2 hours from "hmmm, I gotta pee" to "I'm gonna pee in the next minute or so".

    She seemed to have a couple minutes from "hmm, I gotta pee" to "I'm gonna pee in the next minute or so.

    Add to that it took her twice as long to pee as it took me. I'd wait till she went in to pee, run in, pee, run out, and act bored when she came out.

    If sexiness was related to how long you could go between urinations I'd be the biggest stud on the planet.

    --
    When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
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  • (Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Tuesday July 18 2017, @03:02AM (4 children)

    by Azuma Hazuki (5086) on Tuesday July 18 2017, @03:02AM (#540723) Journal

    Shorter urethra *really* does not help. When the pressure starts building you have to go. I have no idea how the hell men can hold it for so long. Maybe it's my tea habit but I'm usually taking a whizz every 2-4 hours or so.

    --
    I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
    • (Score: 3, Informative) by Snotnose on Tuesday July 18 2017, @03:08AM (3 children)

      by Snotnose (1623) on Tuesday July 18 2017, @03:08AM (#540729)

      I don't hold my pee in my urethra, I hold it in my bladder. I'm more inclined to trust her "damned kids crushed my bladder" than your "my urethra is too short".

      --
      When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 18 2017, @03:58AM (2 children)

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 18 2017, @03:58AM (#540763)

        That's your choice. If you wanted to, you could close off the end of your penis, then empty some of the urine from your bladder into your penis while you hold the end closed. Women can't do that.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 18 2017, @08:52AM (1 child)

          by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 18 2017, @08:52AM (#540878)

          If you wanted to, you could close off the end of your penis

          Sounds painful.

          then empty some of the urine from your bladder into your penis while you hold the end closed

          Like those few drops are going to make any difference.

          • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 19 2017, @01:37AM

            by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 19 2017, @01:37AM (#541266)

            That doesn't work. Once the bladder decides it's time to whizz, the pressure needed to clamp down will hurt more than any embarrassment is worth.